1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a head restraint release cable for automotive seating. More specifically, the present invention relates to a head restraint release cable that is actuated in response to pivoting a seat back forwardly and once the release cable is actuated continued pivoting of the seat back does not continue to actuate the cable.
2. Description of Related Art
Many automotive seats include a head restraint that is operatively coupled to an upper end of a seat back. It is common that such head restraints are movable between an upright use position when the seat back is in a seating position and a tilted stowed position when the seat back is in a forwardly folded position. In some instances the head restraint is moved manually from the use position to the stowed position. In other instances, a release mechanism having a cable is provided to automatically move the head restraint from the use position to the stowed position.
These cable-type release mechanisms are typically operatively coupled between a latch mechanism that locks the head restraint in the use position and a seat cushion such that when the latch mechanism is unlocked in response to pivoting the seat back from the seating position to the forwardly folded position the head restraint will pivot from the use position to the stowed position. One disadvantage of some cable-type release mechanisms is that once the latch mechanism is unlocked and the seat back continues to pivot to the forwardly folded position, a force continues to be applied to the cable. In order to prevent the cable from breaking and to prevent damage to the latch mechanism a compensation spring system is provided to allow additional stretching of the cable. These spring systems require excess cable length and result in increased costs due to additional parts and assembly labor. Additionally, these spring systems may result in unwanted operational noise due to spring stretching.
Another disadvantage of some cable-type release mechanisms is that once the head restraint pivots from the use position to the stowed position the latch mechanism is re-set. Re-setting the latch mechanism when the seat back is in the forwardly folded position allows the head restraint to be returned to the use position prior to returning the seat back to the seating position.
It is therefore desirable to provide a head restraint release cable having a disconnect such that once a head restraint is released from a use position by pivoting a seat back, continued pivoting of the seat back does not apply a force to the cable. It is further desirable to provide a head restraint release cable having a lockout such that a head restraint cannot be returned to a use position until a seat back is returned to a seating position.